When I Need You
by cookie-dough
Summary: Takes place during 'Be-Shure' Daniel is there for Betty during her pregnancy scare.


AN: This is just a quick one-shot that takes place during 'Be-Shure'. Just what I thought might happen if Betty had included Daniel in her secret. Hope you guys enjoy. I'm also working on a longer story, however, inspiration is fleeting at the moment, even though I have it all mapped out. So hopefully I can get back to work on that, and have it posted before too long.

As always, I don't own Ugly Betty (I can dream though) or anything else to do with the show. I'm just borrowing these amazing characters.

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She was freaking out. There was no way she was pregnant. Careful Betty Suarez did not get pregnant. Yet here she was all signs pointing to the contrary. She wasn't the big risk taker of her family; she was the sensible, forward thinking one, who had somehow found herself in this situation. A number of things had brought this pregnancy conclusion crashing down around her. First Papi's breakfast had sent the already queasy feeling in her stomach, into overdrive, and it had taken all of her self-restraint not to throw up in the kitchen there and then. At the time Hilda had complained of similar symptoms, and that had led her to believe she was coming down with something. She had hoped that wasn't the case earlier, but now she would have gladly welcomed a cold or the flu. Next had been Matt's comment, had she really been glowing? She thought it more of a blush, as she tried to hide the fact that she had been imagining their whole future mapped out behind him, complete with fireworks, and Betty Suarez-Hartley stamped on her business cards. She had told herself not to get carried away; things between them were finally getting back on track, in part because they had removed the pressure of labelling it. But a baby, that seemed to pile on the pressure. Then for someone who had felt sick all morning, she had heartily tucked into Daniel's bagel, much to his despair. Nauseous one moment, and ravenous the next. These things seemed harmless on their own, and plausible that she was indeed coming down with something. But the final blow came from a complete stranger at the bus stop. She shouldn't be standing in her condition? Sure her coat was a little bulkier than those she usually wore, but pregnant? Adding everything together, she was left with only one conclusion. Pregnant.

Betty had stopped off to pick up a pregnancy test from the store, although not without nearly running into Papi. What would he think of her? She imagined the look of disappointment on his face if he saw her with the test. She was so young, she had her whole life in front of her, hadn't he taught her to be careful? These were only a few of the things she assumed he would have said. She just hoped the test was negative and that he would never have to find out about this. But he would be home soon, and she couldn't run the risk of him finding it, so she would have to take the test somewhere else. She supposed she could have gone to Matt's apartment, but that meant inevitably telling him what was going on, and for some reason everything within her was screaming at her to run the other way. But why? Only hours ago she had seen what life could have been like for them, and she had seemed genuinely happy with the course her life was taking, but a baby? She wasn't ready, she knew that much for sure, and it wasn't as if she was totally against the idea, she wanted kids, lots of kids, just not right now. Betty spared a thought for Hilda, here she was practically at breaking point at just the thought of being pregnant in her twenties, whereas Hilda had gone through all of this as a teenager. No she didn't want Matt to know, unless there was actually something to know. However, as much as she wanted to keep this to herself, she knew that she couldn't do it alone, that she would need some moral support, and not judgement. So she found herself at the one place she knew she would find it.

She took a deep breath and knocked confidently on the apartment door. Within seconds the door was opened, and he looked at her with pleasant surprise.

"Betty? What are you doing here?" Daniel asked.

"Oh, I was just in the neighbourhood." She lied, adding a little too much perkiness to her voice, trying to over compensate.

"Really?" he asked doubtful.

"Yeah." She answered as she comically tried to avoid his gaze. He only raised his eyebrows at her, which irritated her to no end. "Are you going to let me in, or do I have to stay out here all day?" she questioned short-temperedly. Great now she was having mood swings, just another symptom to rack up on the pregnancy meter.

"No, come on in." he replied, holding his hand up in surrender, as he stepped back and allowed her to enter.

"Sorry. I'm just not having a very good day."

"You wanna talk about it?" It was what she had come here to do, but right now it was the last thing she wanted.

"Let's talk about you. How was your day?"

"It sucked."

"Great pair we are." She replied as they both took a seat on the couch. She rested her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands, and as Daniel looked across at her, he knew there was a much bigger reason for her visit.

"You weren't just in the neighbourhood were you?" He said placing a hand on her back, and was surprised to find her eyes shining with unshed tears, as she gazed up at him.

"I'm sorry Daniel, I didn't know where else to go."

"Hey, what happened?" he asked worriedly, as his hand began rubbing her back soothingly. She didn't speak for a moment, just tried to compose her thoughts, leaving Daniel helpless.

"Betty, you know you can tell me anything, right?" he added, trying to make things easier for her, but it seemed she didn't know what to say.

Instead she removed the small plastic bag from her pocket, and handed it to him, awaiting his reaction. Placing his hand inside, Daniel pulled out the pregnancy test and stopped as his eyes scanned the label. As she suspected there was no hint of judgement on his face, as his features softened and he looked apologetically at her. She shrugged her shoulders with a sad smile, as she wiped away at her wet eyes.

"Betty." Was all that he said, as he pulled her closer to him and held her.

He knew that this was the last thing she wanted in her life right now. Her career at Mode was finally taking off, and things between her and Matt were still so fragile, honestly the timing could have been better. But she was here and she needed him, and he was going to do whatever it took to see her through this, whatever the outcome. So he continued to hold her until she was ready to speak, and when she did, she sounded like a lost little girl, instead of the fiery, passionate woman he had come to know and love.

"I, I can't be pregnant. Down the line sure, but not now." She said voicing Daniel's earlier thoughts. "How am I going to tell Matt? I couldn't face going to see him about this. What if I am pregnant and he doesn't stick around?"

"Hey, hey, it's no good you working yourself up, until you know for sure, right?"

Daniel was right. Somehow their usual roles had been reversed, and he was the one spouting comforting words of wisdom and rational thought. This would have been her role but all things considered, she knew she wouldn't have believed herself in that instance and she was genuinely glad that she had come to him.

"You're right. Until I know for sure, there's nothing I can do." He rubbed her back once more, as he held out the test for her, and they made their way to the bathroom.

"I'll be right out here, if you need me." She smiled at him sincerely; he was too good to her. Closing the door, she took a deep breath.

To anyone on the outside, Daniel looked the picture of the nervous boyfriend, awaiting news that could change his life forever. As he paced back and forth it made him think, if Betty was pregnant it would change his life, purely because it would change hers. She was his best friend, and whatever the outcome he was going to be a part of her life. But he had to remind himself that this wasn't his baby, it was Matt's, and something about that struck a chord in him. It also didn't go unnoticed that she hadn't gone to Matt, but turned up on his doorstep. He and Betty had become so close lately, loosing someone you loved certainly made you appreciate those you cared about, and Betty was no exception. It had also made him more protective of her than he had ever been before; there was nothing he wouldn't do to shelter her from harm. But now things were out of his control, and he had to come up with a way to get her through this. Sure she had Matt, and he was financially sound, so there would be no issues there. But what if he found out and couldn't handle it, he was notoriously known for quitting at the last hurdle, what if he left her as she feared? What Betty needed was love and support, he needed to reassure her that whatever happened he was there for her, all the way. After hearing the toilet flush and the tap run, Daniel prepared himself. She opened the door as she gazed up at him, a tired look on her face. Had she seen the result?

"Look Betty, before you say anything I just wanted to tell you something." He said, placing his hands on her arms. "Whatever happens you're not alone, okay. Because I'm going to be there with you every step of the way. Doctor's appointments, baby yoga, late night ice cream runs, you name it, whatever you need." Betty smiled at him affectionately.

She had come to Daniel for moral support, knowing she couldn't have done this test alone. But he had gone so far beyond supportive, he had told her he wasn't going anywhere, and going in there blindfolded, it was exactly what she needed to hear.

"I'm not pregnant." She said softly.

"You're not?" Daniel asked, checking he had heard right. "That's a good thing, right?"

"Yes." She sighed. "It's a good thing." She walked into his arms, as she hugged him tightly. "You're really sweet you know that. Not many guys would have said what you just did and meant it." Daniel smiled, touched by her words. "Thank you for being here for me."

"I care about you Betty, I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I care about you too." She pulled back from the hug, her arms still encircling him. "You know you'll make a great dad one day." She added looking up at him.

"And you'll make an amazing mother, when the time's right." He added, as she smiled back at him.

"I know, look at the wonders I worked on you." He let out a warm chuckle, as she giggled. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder as they began to walk.

"Come on, I'll make us a coffee."

"Thanks, but I think I'll make my own." She joked, remembering what his last effort had tasted like.

"Hey, what's wrong with my coffee?" he asked in disbelief.

"Oh nothing, it's a perfectly good weapon of torture." She laughed, as he playfully pushed her, and suddenly it was as if nothing had happened. They had returned to their spirited banter, the pregnancy test long forgotten.

Today had been a long and at times frightening day. Betty had gone from happy successful career woman, to possibly pregnant and scared the next. But one thing had remained the same. Daniel had been her constant, and she knew now that there wasn't anything that she couldn't tell him, if things got rough she knew he would always be there for her. He was her best friend, and he wasn't going anywhere.


End file.
